Trauma
by Aiden Ravelle
Summary: King is forced to watch Ian be tortured. Will King give the bad guys the information they want or will he be able to handle watching Ian get hurt?


"I won't tell you anything," King said to the monster outside his cell.

"Oh, you will. You will," he assured.

"Do what you want to me, but I won't give you information."

"Oh I won't do anything to you. I'll be hurting someone else while you watch. Can you bear to see your friend hurt?" A couple of his goons carried a body into the cell next to his. "You have until he wakes up to figure out if you will talk. If not, he's going to get hurt."

King studied the figure quickly noticing it was Ian.

Eventually Ian started to stir. He opened his eyes and looked around, beginning to panic, until his eyes rested on his friend. "What happened?"

King shook his head, "I don't know how we got here. But they want me to tell them where the dinos are hiding."

"Don't tell them."

"They are going to hurt you if I don't!" King informed.

Ian sighed, "promise me, I don't care what they do to me, even if I am on the brink of death, do not tell them anything. If they get their hands on the dinos, a lot more people will get hurt than just me," he locked eyes with King, "I'm sure the others will be on their way. I'll try to last until they can rescue you."

"I'm not going to let you get hurt!"

"You have to. Please, King. Innocent people will get hurt if you don't."

King nodded quickly before hearing steps coming down the hall.

"So, are you going to talk or watch your friend get hurt?"

Ian spoke up, "He's not telling you anything."

"Well, that may change once you start screaming and begging for your life," the monster laughed cruelly before entering the cell. Ian fought him as best as he could but ended up being hung by his wrists to the wall.

"My favorite thing to do is make people bruise. It's like bleeding but less mess for me to clean up."

Ian kicked out at him before his ankles got tied down too. "Feisty one you are. I'll beat that out of you in no time."

Ian was quickly punched in the stomach. His body tried to bend into the pain but he couldn't move. He locked eyes with King and nodded that he was ok. After a few more punches he was struggling to breathe. He still looked positive and tried not to give in to the pain. "Well, how about this?" the monster grabbed a bat out and hit Ian in the leg. He groaned as a tear or two started to well in his eyes.

"You are stronger than I gave you credit for. But no matter, I'll have you begging soon."

The monster moved so fast that King couldn't even be sure what he was seeing. Afterward, Ian's head was slumped over, motionless.

"It's no fun when they lose consciousness," the monster sighed. He pressed a button which released the straps holding Ian up. He fell to the ground in a sickening thud.

"I'll be back when he wakes up. Maybe then you'll give me some information," he left the room then pressed another button which raised the wall between the two cells up toward the ceiling. King rushed over to Ian who looked deathly pale. He moved Ian to a better position then rested his head in his lap.

King noticed how hard Ian was struggling to breathe even in his unconscious state. Eventually though, Ian started stirring once more, blinking open an eye to notice King above him. He struggled to push himself into a sitting position, "You didn't tell him anything, did you?"

"No."

"Good. He hasn't attacked you yet, has he?" Ian glanced over at King who shook his head.

Ian nodded and leaned against the wall. He blinked sleepily and King wondered if Ian passed out again, would he ever wake up?

"I hate seeing him hurt you," King talked to help keep Ian awake. "I could tell him something to bide us some more time."

Ian glared, "Don't." He took a couple deep breaths before reminding, "more people will get hurt that way. This way it's just me."

"Just you? You say that like you don't matter."

"We were chosen to be heroes. Compared to all of the innocent people out there, just one life doesn't matter."

"Ian, I don't know if you would think that in any other situation. You matter to the team. You matter to Parasagun. You matter to me." Ian coughed, revealing dark red. He tried to hide it but King saw anyway. "The team will be here soon and we'll be safe."

Ian shook his head, "I don't think I will last that long. But if it helps, you matter to me too."

The monster came back, hearing the voices down the hall. "You, over there," he ordered King back to his cell. He pointed a gun at Ian to ensure King would listen. Once he was over there, the barred wall dropped once again, leaving the two rangers separated. "Now, are you going to tell me anything?"

Ian and King locked eyes before King's view dropped, "There's an island. I don't know where it is, but Gabutyra lives there. Find it and I'll tell you more."

"You think you can order me around like that?" The monster growled, "I guess I'll have to look into it though." He kicked Ian in the stomach before turning away and leaving the cell. Ian threw up a disgusting mixture of digested food and blood.

"Why?" Ian finally whispered.

King looked pained, "I can't watch you die."

"How many will die if they find it?" Ian talked slowly, his mind spinning and his stomach threatening to release its contents once more.

"Maybe I'm being selfish then," King sighed. "But put yourself in my shoes, could you really watch as someone kills the person you love when you could have said something to stop them."

Ian was now laying on his side, resting his head on his arm. He raised it though and glanced at King, "What?"

"I said maybe I'm being selfish."

"After that," Ian coughed, words struggling to escape, "you love me?"

"Yea. And it kills me to see you like this."

"I've been trying to stay strong so he doesn't start hurting you too. The longer I last, the better chance you'll have at a rescue," he groaned as pain shocked through his body. Once he calmed down he added, "I probably fell for you the second I saw you. Even though you were loud and annoying."

King chuckled, "Me too. Except you were closed off and cold. You were mysterious both as Ian and Kyoryu Black."

"You brought us all together."

"But each of us is important to this team, which is why you have to hold on."

Ian blinked sleepily, "I'll try. Keep talking though?"

King talked about some of his travels and the friends he made along the way. "Mexico was pretty."

"Sounds like it."

"Hey, after we defeat Deboss, I can take you there. What do you think? We could travel the world together."

King waited for a response but after more silence he looked over at the crumpled body on the floor. He saw that Ian was still breathing so he relaxed, only slightly, and kept wishing his team would show up.

Ian blinked slowly at the figure above him, "Shiro?"

The figure laughed, "No, it's King."

Ian's eyes finally pulled into focus and he saw the smiling face.

"The team came and rescued us. You're safe now."

Ian tried to move but was having trouble. King informed him, "You have multiple broken ribs, a lot of bruising and they had to do some kind of surgery. You're hooked up to a lot of machines, so it might be hard to move. I can adjust the bed though if you want?"

Ian messed with the oxygen cannula on his nose before he looked back at King. He stared at him while trying to formulate his thoughts but nothing concrete appeared.

"They said you could be confused and groggy for a while. It's a side effect of the medicine, and your body trying to heal."

Ian nodded before drifting off to sleep.

The next time he woke he heard his friends talking and laughing. His eyes were open for a few minutes before they even realized he was awake.

"Hey!" Souji smiled.

"How are you feeling?" Amy asked.

Ian scrunched his eyebrows, "I don't know."

King chuckled, "You are on a lot of pain meds still, so you probably don't feel anything."

Ian looked at King, "Gabutyra?"

"We got him long before he found Gabutyra's island."

Ian nodded. After a few seconds of silence, he asked, "When can I go home?"

"They said if you can stay awake for more than an hour at a time and you can walk, you are allowed out," Nossan replied.

"You'll probably need some help though so we'll be around to visit!" King added.

"Though none of us know where you live," Utchy admitted.

Ian tried to chuckle but he felt pain in his chest.

"We better go so you can get more rest," Amy suggested. The group said their goodbyes and Ian flipped on the tv. He found a history show and distracted himself with that. Soon though, King came back.

"Hey," he lightly knocked on the door frame before heading to a chair next to the bed.

"Why are you back so soon?"

"I didn't want you to get lonely," King smiled, "but I think everyone here might have been a bit overwhelming."

"Only a little," Ian smirked.

"I'm going to make sure you get home alright when you get released, and I'll help however I can."

"Thanks," Ian nodded. "I'd like to try to stand up."

King nodded and slid one side of the bed railing down. Ian moved slowly, turning himself toward the edge. He tightened up his hospital gown before slowly getting up. King held his hands out in case Ian needed them but he stood up fine. Walking however was a challenge. King carefully grabbed him when he started to lose balance.

He stayed in the hospital a few more days, getting up and strengthening his legs every day. King finally arrived with the release papers from the doctor.

"Are you ready?" King called through the bathroom door.

Ian had gotten himself up and showered, looking at the bruises which were now sickly greens and yellows. He threw on pants and opened the door, "I just need to get bandaged up and put on a shirt."

King noticed how pale Ian looked in comparison to his wounds. He thought momentarily that he caught an almost dead and defeated look in Ian's eyes but Ian quickly smiled and started talking. "I'm healing a lot quicker than I expected."

"The doctor says you are doing great. I have some medicine ready for you. It's lower dosages than what you got here, but it should help keep the pain away."

"Thank you. You don't have to help me if you have other things to do though."

"I want to help you!" King smiled.

Ian nodded as a nurse entered and bandaged his ribs back up. King helped him get a t-shirt on and then they headed off toward Ian's apartment. King let Ian take care of himself but he watched to make sure he didn't overexert himself.

"It's getting late," Ian said, "you should probably get home."

"I'm staying to help you. What if something happens in the middle of the night while I'm gone?"

"I am an adult you know, it's not like I can't take care of myself," Ian snapped. He sighed, "Sorry. I just feel useless, not being able to help fight deboss. Hell, I'm barely even able to keep myself standing."

"It's alright," King assured as he rested a hand on Ian's shoulder. "I can leave if you want me to, but if not I brought a sleeping bag to sleep on the floor."

"I have a big bed, you can sleep on one side if you want," Ian suggested before stuttering out, "I just meant the floor was uncomfortable, not that I want you in my bed or anything." His face started turning red.

King laughed, "I guess if it won't bother you."

Ian shook his head, "I'll be fine."

He settled himself onto one side and pulled the blankets onto him. King got onto the other side and soon they were both asleep.

King woke to the sound of crying. He looked over and panicked when he didn't see Ian. He followed the sound to the bathroom and he knocked on the door, "Are you ok?"

Ian quickly wiped his tears away and opened the door. He acted like he hadn't just been crying, "I'm fine. I figured I could go to the bathroom without waking you."

"Ok," King nodded, reading Ian's lie but not calling him out on it.

Ian walked back to his bed and tried to get back to sleep. The next few nights were the same until King finally said, "What's wrong? Really? Because I know you've been upset every night since you've been here."

"I'm fine."

"No you aren't. You know you can trust me right?"

Ian finally confessed, not looking at King, "I've been waking up from nightmares. That we are back there. That I'll feel more pain or you'll get hurt." Ian shook his head, "It's dumb really. We get hurt all the time fighting Deboss."

King pulled Ian in for a hug, "You don't have to act so tough around me. You went through a traumatic experience; it's understanding that it will affect you for a while." King pulled away slightly to look at Ian's face, "The others understand too. None of us think you are weak; we are all just worried about you."

Ian wiped away an escaped tear, "Thanks."

They both headed back to bed. Not long after though Ian spoke up, "Are we going to talk about what we said to each other while kidnapped or keep ignoring it?"

King turned toward Ian, "I was giving you time to recover. I didn't think you'd be up for talking about love and relationships right now, but we can if you want to."

"I know you've just been here to help me, like you would for any of your friends that needed it," Ian stared at the ceiling, "I just wish you'd never have to leave."

"I don't have to," King replied before chuckling, "Ok well I'd have to leave your apartment to fight Deboss, but you can keep me if you want."

Ian grabbed King's hand, "I'd like that. And I'd come hug you if it didn't hurt to move."

King moved toward Ian and gently wrapped an arm around him, "Then that's settled, I'm yours." He smiled before placing a gentle kiss on Ian's lips.

Ian smiled back, "And I'm yours."

He still had a lot of recovering to go both physically and mentally, but he now knew everything would work out fine in the end.


End file.
